Mercury Cleanup In R’Wood

EPA To Outline Work At Fmr. Factory

by Robert Pozarycki

Ridgewood residents are invited to provide input at a publicmeeting on Wednesday night, Nov. 7, being held by the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the plansfor the cleanup of a neighborhood site contaminated withmercury, which was first reported on by the Times Newsweekly in August 2011.

As announced by Community Board 5 District Manager Gary Giordano, the meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday night at the Greater Ridgewood Youth Council, located at 59-03 Summerfield St.

Representatives of the EPA will be on hand to outline their agency’s plans to clean up the contaminated location at 59-44 Summerfield St.

The contaminated building—located behind a home and a garage— was reportedly used as a thermometer factory decades ago, and later a dance hall. It eventually was converted into a residential building.

The Times Newsweekly reported in August 2011 that the city Department of Health conducted testing on the home at the request of long-time residents who developed health problems in recent years. The DOH test found that the levels of mercury inside the home were above federal safety levels, and the residence was ordered vacated.